This invention relates generally to a ligament prosthesis, in particular to a high-strength ligament prosthesis.
The recognized need for and acceptance of artifical ligaments to replace or supplement natural ligaments is well known. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,859, issued on July 1, 1980, and assigned to the same assignee as this application, a ligament and tendon prosthesis of polyethylene terephthalate and a method of preparing same are described and claimed. The text of the previously issued patent is incorporated herein by reference.
The standard ligament prosthesis as described in the earlier patent is particularly well suited for surgical repair of shoulder injuries, such as an acromioclavicular dislocation. However, for surgical repair of ligaments subject to higher tensile loads, such as for surgical repair of the knee joint, a higher strength prosthesis is desirable.